Spirea Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFFGCCHIJKCLMNDO DPQFFFRESTPUVWXYTZDT DA2VB2PIC2VVVD2E2DF2 G2H2YI2DIJ2DTK2DVL2M 2DN2 O2P2VTQ2DVR2TS2T2U2V 2VT2PTCW2DW2VVTX2VY2 TVZ2W2TW2VW2VPA3VU2W 2W2VW2W2Q2B3VDW2VC3V D3VW2E3 VVA3VVW2VV VVH2DD W2W2VTCW2F3W2VDW2W2W 2W2Z2DW2W2M2V

Then she came the sybil out through the doorsA
of The Bell the single drinking establishmentB
permitted in that narrow little country townC
she came out neither staggering nor collapsingD
but gliding not carefully one step at a timeE
like a tight rope walker but recklessly wantonlyF
as someone oblivious to danger who knows alreadyF
what lies ahead and has nothing to fearG
DownC
the wooden steps of the board walkway on downC
into the dust and refuse of the street the rindsH
and horse droppings and they watched her goI
without really noticing since they saw thisJ
every evening now that warm weather had comeK
when she ventured out to wander in the townC
and the fact that she was barefooted thatL
she wore only a blue shirtwaist that her hairM
hung the length of her back and was never combedN
or pinned up that she seldom stopped talkingD
to herself that all her relatives were deadO
that she had no place to stay owned nothingD
needed nothing harmed no oneP
these factsQ
were accepted known throughout the communityF
were discussed by the ladies' aid societyF
by the minister and by the township trusteeF
and yet none of them could contain her notR
the bartender who told her when it was timeE
to leave not the old rag buyer who reined inS
his horse when he saw her and called to herT
asking her to come sit beside him in the wagonP
and he would take her home for none of themU
would she turn back even when they pleadedV
and called out her nameW
Each time she went forthX
when she walked through the streets the alleysY
in the twilight some of them encountered herT
the husbands out watering their lawns the wivesZ
with their children the young people pausingD
at the corner with their bicycles watching herT
seeing her go by Many avoided her passingD
many were afraid unable to return her bright gazeA2
A light shone from her eyes Something glimmeredV
when she moved There was about her a presenceB2
an immanence that announced a way a directionP
most of them could not imagine would never knowI
She walked on heedless muttering to herselfC2
leaving them far behindV
In this way she journeyedV
through the summer evenings and into the nightV
while all around her doors were closing lampsD2
were dimmed the world was preparing for sleepE2
Always she moved in a straight line pausingD
for no obstacle respecting no property lineF2
through backyards over fences across gardensG2
managing to steer nightly by a different starH2
by Venus smoldering low above the line of treesY
by Mars or Saturn in stark opposition to the moonI2
by whatever brightness seemed most beckoningD
however faint or furious its glowI
In this wayJ2
she traversed all points of the town stoppingD
sometimes to speak to whomever or whateverT
she encountered whether house tree horseK2
or child but invariably moving on walkingD
on through the streets and into the countrysideV
walking out among the fields the gravel roadsL2
walking until she collapsed against a stone wallM2
under a hedge or in a barn with rain fallingD
walking until she lost her way among dark dreamsN2
-
In this manner on the first evening in May drawnO2
by an unknown star she leaves the tavern and comesP2
eventually to the edge of town to the side yardV
to the croquet court actually of a professorT
of physics at the college who nightly sets upQ2
his reflecting telescope and who on this eveningD
has trained it on an elusive entityV
a nebulaR2
thousands of light years away a great star clusterT
tilted on one side displaying vast spiral armsS2
it is this same man this professor who noticesT2
behind him something struggling through the hedgeU2
through the arms of the spirea called bridal veilV2
through that pale maze of blossoming that thicketV
of lush damp drooping spiraling white branchesT2
not far away in the twilight he hears someoneP
coming toward him then recognizes this wandererT
from the townC
watches her shoulder aside the canesW2
bursting at last onto the level lawn then stoppingD
righting herself reaching to touch and feel the weltsW2
along her arms her shoulders the thin red cutV
on her cheek observes her peer about slowlyV
at the house the arbor the herbs in their ladderT
her gaze turning at last to the well dressed manX2
with his celluloid collar his knotted silk tieV
where he stands with one hand on the telescopeY2
-
Is he young and handsome is this semesterT
his first in the town has he only recentlyV
accepted a position at the little collegeZ2
Does he turn the heads of the young ladiesW2
does he sing bass in the Baptist church choirT
is he one of the town's leading bachelorsW2
Or is he a white haired gentleman stoopedV
round shouldered has he been there for yearsW2
taught generations of young people outlivedV
an affectionate wife sent forth childrenP
lived to see grandchildren does he reside aloneA3
at the edge of town on a wide brick streetV
in a gas boom mansion with a massive hedgeU2
of spirea enclosing the property on three sidesW2
a front gate of cast iron tipped with arrowheadsW2
Does it matter now whether he is young or oldV
Does he know himself about any of these thingsW2
on a night like this at the moment she emergesW2
from the spirea's whiteness as though swum upQ2
through a heavy pounding surfB3
Her shirtwaistV
is torn she is hardened by incessant walkingD
and wandering by being out in all weathersW2
her breasts and her gaunt body have emergedV
androgynous and gleaming she is aglow nowC3
dusted with shattered blossom as though preparedV
for some elusive ritual and as she gazes at himD3
she continues to mutter to murmur has in factV
never ceased to speak to utter strange syllablesW2
whether she understands the words he cannot tellE3
-
He waits beside the telescope the gleaming shaftV
poised on its tripod which earlier he pointedV
up into the wealth of stars earlier aloneA3
far from the interference of artificial lightV
he had come out he had set up the equipmentV
he carried chalkboard in hand for observationsW2
he began to search to locate to gaze intoV
the huge glimmering hearth of the night skyV
-
and only moments ago he had found it hadV
checked his coordinates had seen distinctlyV
he had looked up and into looked out farH2
toward those myriad outflung arms that turningD
that vast still immeasurable unfoldingD
-
and the visitor strangely silenced now beginsW2
to come his way across the fresh cut grassW2
she approaches strides toward him unhesitantV
and unafraid reaches to touch the viewing apertureT
already in perfect focus smiles and leans downC
fragments of white blossom living particlesW2
of sundered veil cling to her long hair dripF3
from her forearms her rough hands she seesW2
she looks for a long time There is no soundV
except her slight breathingD
Finally she beginsW2
she raises her head the light is in her eyesW2
the shining and she speaks what comes He bowsW2
as though in prayer knowing there is no differenceW2
it is the far galaxy great orb and afterimageZ2
in his brain it is the milk white hedge crestingD
all around them it is the unsummoned presenceW2
come at last and always up through the wavesW2
it is the voice speaking through all to allM2
here now in the darkness in the starlightV

Jared Carter



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